Infectious disease epidemics are becoming increasingly common in tropical regions. We hypothesized that deforestation influences sylvatic arbovirus circulation by altering the ecology of mosquito vectors and mammalian hosts, potentially enhancing transmission of viruses to humans. Replicated mosquito collections along a disturbance gradient (mature forest, successional forest, deforested land) near Iquitos, Peru, indicated that mosquito diversity is highest in ecotones, and that one of the most common vector species (Culex pedroi) reaches peak relative abundance in successional forest. Related studies are addressing indirect effects of deforestation on vector abundance via modification of predator guild composition in mosquito breeding sites, especially container habitats. Future work will examine arbovirus adaptation to new endemic and exotic mosquito species.
Species 1: Diptera Culicidae Culex
Keywords: deforestation, arbovirus
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